South China Sea Data Initiative

South China Sea Data Initiative

***THIS HIRING CYCLE HAS ENDED;
WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY SEARCHING AS OF 11/16/20.***
Research Assistant Opportunity

Professors Nico Ravanilla and Renard Sexton are hiring RAs at two levels of seniority for the South China Sea Data Initiative (www.scsdi.org). In this project we are collecting and analyzing data from a wide range of sources to understand why conflict is occurring in the region and what policy solutions may be possible.

We are looking for RA candidates who are either:

  • Advanced undergraduate students/recent BA graduates
  • Advanced undergraduate students/recent BA graduates
We seek candidates who have strong English skills, demonstrated interests in international relations, conflict, or political economy (through coursework or research experience), and some quantitative skills. We strongly prefer candidates with (1) fluency in Vietnamese, Filipino, Malay, or Chinese (2) experience doing directed research related to politics, economics, history, international relations or related, or (3) experience coding data from diverse source material, and (4) among BA candidates, interest in pursuing a Ph.D.
Apply here

Candidates with experience working on the following topics will be prioritized:

  • ASEAN diplomacy and defense cooperation
  • Oil/gas exploration and exploitation
  • Trade and FDI in ASEAN
  • Fisheries in the South China Sea
  • Online survey techniques, especially deployed in East and Southeast Asia
  • Previous fieldwork in ASEAN or East Asian countries

This opportunity is remote, although the PIs will regularly travel to SE Asia (as Covid-19 pandemic allows) and will meet with RAs in person when possible. This opportunity is paid through a consulting agreement (rate commensurate to experience). Candidates may be located anywhere in the world, though candidates located in the United States must have work authorization.

Through this collaboration, RAs will learn about big data, GIS, and quantitative social science techniques. They will receive mentorship from Profs. Ravanilla and Sexton related to research and career goals of their interest.

To apply, please fill out this Google Form. You need to submit your resume/CV and some short answer questions (including language skills, previous experience working with data, research interests, career plans). We will begin reviewing applications on Friday, September 25, 2020. If you have any questions about this position, please send an email to Jenny Kim at seoyeon.kim@emory.edu.

The initiative is led by Emory University’s Department of Political Science and the University of California, San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy. The PIs are experienced scholars of conflict and development in Southeast Asia, who have published in top journals in Political Science and Economics, as well as with policy outlets and news publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Foreign Policy, and the International Crisis Group. This project is supported by the Emory University, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and Carnegie Corporation of New York.